Time Traveler's Dairy
by BasicScript
Summary: Follow a lead scientist into the world of the past! What does the past hold in store? Is it the same as we remember? Find out in this short and thrilling story, experiencing the world from the written word's of Director Daniel Sparks. Author's Note: This is my very first story. I hope you enjoy it. Constructive criticism is welcome in the comments.


6/1/2015: Today marks a very important event. My life's work has led to this moment. After so many trials, I have finally created my time machine. Whether or not it works is the problem. Test subjects are suddenly unwilling to test my creation. I have to prepare myself for travel since I have no other options. A remote control was always an option, but my team could never develop it. We're stuck at one thing, I suppose. I have to do this alone after the numerous years of teamwork. I hope the team will understand, but they're too busy cowering in their offices.

6/3/2015: Apparently, fear can spread like a disease. I'm lying here in the morning; the clock reads 2:32 A.M. Anxiety never lets me sleep, but when I fall asleep, I'm sure I'll have a nightmare or three. That usually happens with this type of mood swing.

Continuing this entry, I managed to pull myself to the office after 5 hours of sleep. My team should be all ready for my travel. I'll make sure to swallow my fear as we prepare for the moment up until departure. I know the last thing my scientists need to see is fear in the director's eyes.

They had my lawyer in the office, and he forced me to write my will before I ever stepped foot into this machine. Now they're all waiting behind a thick wall of glass and steel while I write. They all expect me to come out clean, but I know that the machine is fickle with that sort of thing.

Currently, I've got the temporal map clear and ready for a touchdown site. However, being that the goal is the past, I've targeted a remote location where no one will find my machine. The last thing I need is a tear in the continuum. This is my last entry before I launch; my experiences will recorded after travel. However, that's only if I live. Signing off for the moment, this is 'Time Machine Captain' Daniel Sparks.

4/6/1995: The ride was never stable all the way through, I can write that much. There was too much of a light show, but I guess that's what you can expect from time travel. Just to my luck, the time machine also decided to throw me off by a few months. However, it made no difference to the temporal map. I got set down in a cave close to the south of Illinois. Remote, untouched, and desolate were good words to describe the place. If I ever want to set foot to interact with the world, I have to get dressed for the time period.

Finding any life is difficult when you are miles out, but I finally found some sort of road. I've only counted a few cars. It seems like I could follow it along to the next town without trouble. I still don't know if I'm in the right era. The cars aren't all that different, but then again, I don't care about cars and their age enough to tell the difference.

I've managed to find myself at the Mississippi River. How I did that, I don't know. Either I walked too far, or the map was off slightly. Thankfully, I know my way around landmarks like this. It's just a matter of following it the right direction before I can spot a bridge.

I've walked myself too far, but I've managed to find the bridge before I collapse. However, the sun's getting too low already. I have to walk carefully now.

4/7/1995: I temporarily had to make a shelter in the woods. If they found my body lying beside the road, I'd never hear the end of it, and I'd have a felony under my name when I was only three. I'm getting back on track, heading for the only city I know in Illinois: Marion.

Walking is exhausting, my throat is parched, and I feel like I should be put down. However, the outskirts of Marion are all too familiar. I have to keep going.

Finally, after getting to the nearest gas station, I made way to get myself a drink and a bit of breakfast for 11:34 A.M. This is indeed the year I aimed for, but it's still eerie for me. However, after the discovery that I made it to the right time period, I feel it should be time to retire back to the time machine.

My curiosity killed the cat, and I decided to check the culture of period. Video games were back to the currently outdated cartridges. The movies that were antiques were only a few years old now. The feeling I get when walking in front of those stores is otherworldly, but I digress. I'm in another time. Once my strength is up, I'll head back to my time machine.

4/8/1995: With the money I had in cash, it seemed a little too easy to get a hotel room, but the sleep I got was heavenly. I almost regret getting up from bed. My journey begins after I get breakfast.

Almost no cars where driving on the street, no people were out and about. It's just a Marion thing, I think. It's not too much to worry about.

I managed to get a ride finally. Thankfully, strangers around here are friendly enough to trust one another. We're riding out to my machi-

It turns out he wasn't a Marion stranger. I have no honest clue what it was, but I know if things are acting strange, my journey in time is in danger. I'm only grateful I'm close to the machine.

I found my machine unharmed, but it doesn't appear functional in a way. Power is just minutes from a recharge. I suppose I'll just sit this out.

There's something at the cave entrance now. I've got no clue what it is. It's moving clos-

Not only am I injured severely, but the thing is dead. Combat training is worth it after all. I have a few seconds until I get the machine back online, but my side is burning like a branded cow.

The machine is ready. I might die, thanks to injury. Good thing I wrote the will. The travel will only be a moment.

Time of Death: 6/4/2015 – 2:47 A.M. CTS. Leading cause is believed to be severe lacerations above the hip and far below the ribs. Death is suspected to be murder.

6/7/2015: The Temporal Initiative is shut down for good. Director Sparks' death has proved their projects to be lethal and murderous. Marksman Industries will be under close supervision of the government. What exactly Sparks experienced in the other time is completely unknown and forced to remain that way by law.


End file.
